<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/collingwood-vic-3066">Collingwood</a>’s northern edge continues to sharpen its reputation as one of Melbourne’s most compelling cultural precincts, where established creative institutions, leading hospitality, and independent fashion converge within a tightly held inner-city neighbourhood.

Set within this evolving pocket, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/derby-street-by-milieu-collingwood-4-derby-street-collingwood-vic-3066">Derby Street by Milieu</a> draws on a location that balances proximity to some of the inner north’s most influential destinations with the quieter, tree-lined character that defines the streets edging East Melbourne. Positioned just moments from both Smith and Gertrude Streets, the address sits on the periphery of Collingwood’s cultural core, offering immediate access without the intensity of its busiest frontages.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145576 project_image_fid=355945]

Gertrude Street, in particular, anchors the area’s identity as a destination for Melbourne’s leading food, art and fashion. Within a short walk, venues such as Marion, Cutler &amp; Co, IDES and the Builders Arms Hotel define a tightly curated dining scene with enduring citywide appeal, complemented by a strong fashion and retail presence including Havn, Le Labo and a selection of independent boutiques.

Nearby, institutions such as the Australian Print Workshop and Collingwood Yards sustain a constant rhythm of exhibitions, performances and creative output, embedding art and culture into the everyday fabric of the neighbourhood.

Smith Street, running parallel, extends this offering with a broader mix of hospitality and nightlife, maintaining its status as one of Melbourne’s most active inner-urban strips.

Beyond these high-energy streets, the immediate surrounds shift in tone. Derby Street and its neighbouring blocks are defined by low-rise heritage terraces, mature trees and a settled residential character. Fitzroy Gardens and Carlton Gardens are both within walking distance, alongside the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum, bringing together green space and cultural landmarks within minutes of home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145576 project_image_fid=355985]

Connectivity remains a key advantage. The CBD sits within easy reach, accessible by tram along Smith Street in around 20 minutes, while also remaining close enough to walk or cycle, supported by the inner north’s established bike network.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a>’s long-standing connection to Collingwood underpins the project’s approach. With a portfolio that includes multiple nearby developments across Bedford, Peel and Napier Streets, the developer brings a sustained understanding of the area’s character and evolution. Derby Street continues this trajectory as a collaboration with award-winning Melbourne-based <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/studio-bright">Studio Bright</a>, marking the practice’s first multi-residential project in the inner north and reflecting a shared focus on design integrity and contextual response.&nbsp;

Balancing connection to the neighbourhood with a sense of seclusion and refuge, Derby Street by Milieu embodies a level of care and craft typically reserved for single residential projects. Comprising 22 residences across six storeys, with two to four-bedroom configurations priced from $1.15 million, the project is currently under construction with completion expected in late 2027.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145576]

Joel Robinson

Derby Street by Milieu, at the top end of Collingwood

A rare new apartment development in the Blue Mountains is the latest in a string of State Significant Development Applications submitted through the New South Wales Government's Housing Delivery Authority.

A total of 270 apartments are being proposed for the 1.16-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/blue-mountains-alpine-retreat-142-150-narrow-neck-road-katoomba-nsw-2780">142–150 Narrow Neck Road in Katoomba</a>, a parcel of land adjoining the former Katoomba Golf Course. The site was acquired for $3.85 million in 2021 by private developer VDM Prime.

The apartments, comprising a mix of serviced apartments, affordable housing, and traditional build-to-sell product, will be spread across eight low-rise buildings, along with a separate building for a new restaurant, arranged around a green spine that leads to a central park.

<img alt="Katoomba" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ee9a2072-f465-44f1-9076-80c9c8ecca02" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-22%20at%209.20.21%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4bT0vQ7j_syl65wcrJmHGm3m5pTvwrY_" />

The Urban Design Report by Atlas Urban says the vision is to create a "contemporary mountain precinct that is responsive to its escarpment landscape, heritage character, and community context."

"The development responds to the current housing supply and affordability challenges identified under the NSW Housing Delivery Authority (HDA), providing a balanced mix of standard, affordable, and short-stay accommodation," the report noted.

"By introducing a variety of dwelling types and tenures, the proposal supports intergenerational living, local workforce retention, and greater housing choice within an area constrained by topography, heritage, and environmental protections."

Of the 270 units proposed, 52 will be serviced apartments. The remainder will comprise 54 studios, 121 one-bedroom units, 39 two-bedroom apartments, and four three- to four-bedroom residences.

<img alt="Katoomba" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f704508d-1bdf-4170-955d-0256652402a7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-22%20at%209.56.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=TzarHMO4gTOsblCqsbJQkvMqWj9nu2Au" />

The Design Report, by VDM Prime and appointed architect Antoniades Architects, noted that the design seeks to "provide a built form outcome that is highly considered, respectful and contextually fitting, whilst contributing positively to an evolving precinct."

"The site offers three frontages and the opportunity to provide a meaningful interface with the public domain environment. the design has a sympathetic response to streetscape and the green open space that surrounds the site."

The report states that the buildings are broken up to establish an appropriate bulk and scale, emphasised through height and setback strategies and defined through articulation that supports the transition of precinct granularity. It also notes that a central communal open space is established through the site to enhance the social dynamic and access to amenity, including natural ventilation and light to the apartments. The east and west frontages receive solar access during the morning and afternoon, whilst maximising views to the green open space.

The site adjoins the recently completed Yarrabee Katoomba development, comprising 24 duplexes that were completed last year and sold through McGrath Projects.

The relatively new Housing Delivery Authority pathway established by the NSW Government allows developers to submit State Significant Development Applications through a fast-tracked state process, effectively reducing reliance on local council approval pathways and aiming to accelerate housing delivery across New South Wales.

First look: Nearly 300 apartments pitched on former Katoomba golf course site

In Melbourne’s established inner east, the qualities that define a traditional house, width, height, and access to open ground, are increasingly difficult to replicate in new residential developments. Larger landholdings are scarce, and with them, the ability to create apartments that extend beyond compact, internalised layouts.&nbsp;

In <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/kew-vic-3101">Kew</a>, where the residential fabric is shaped by generous setbacks and mature tree canopies, that tension is especially visible.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ricdanic-investments-pty-ltd">Ricdanic</a>&nbsp;is bringing forward a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings at 9–11 Wimba Avenue, Kew. Comprising six homes at No.9 and seven at No.11, the project sits on a quiet, tree-lined street just off Cotham Road.&nbsp;

Each apartment has been planned with a level of independence more commonly associated with standalone dwellings, balancing privacy with the efficiencies of apartment living.

Architect Chris Idle, who has been practising for over two decades, says projects like this don’t come along often.

“There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs,” he explains. “To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The internal planning begins with width. Living areas extend beyond five metres, allowing furniture, circulation, and glazing to sit comfortably within the same zone without compression. Ceiling heights shift from three metres through to five metres in select areas, changing the sense of scale as you move through the apartment. These proportions are paired with double-glazed windows and fully electric systems, balancing volume with performance, supported by a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.&nbsp;

From the main living space, the apartments open directly outward. Large sliding doors connect to private gardens averaging 125 square metres, with some residences also incorporating balconies of around 60 square metres. Rather than acting as secondary outdoor zones, these areas sit flush with the internal floor level, extending the usable footprint of the home and allowing for multiple modes of use, whether for quiet daily routines or larger gatherings.&nbsp;

The landscape, led by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/john-patrick-landscape-architects">John Patrick</a>, reinforces this relationship. Across the site, 23 different plant species have been introduced, including a mix of native and established varieties, arranged to maintain privacy while preserving sightlines and light access. Gardens are not treated as decorative buffers but as functional extensions of the apartments, shaped to accommodate movement, seating, and informal use over time.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366265]

Architecturally, the project draws from Kew’s historic residential language. Handmade bricks by Krause define the exterior, grounding the buildings within the material palette of the suburb, while interior finishes, stone, timber flooring, and restrained detailing, continue this approach internally. Architect Chris Idle describes the intent as long-term rather than stylistic: “We wanted it to feel timeless.”&nbsp;

This emphasis on durability extends to how the buildings are accessed and secured. Entry is managed through keyless systems, with a double-gated basement incorporating number plate recognition for vehicle access. Each residence is paired with a private lock-up garage accommodating two to three cars, alongside storage, while all entry points are monitored continuously. These measures sit alongside EV readiness and fully electric infrastructure, aligning the project’s operational systems with its long-term design outlook.&nbsp;

The setting remains central to how the development is experienced. Located within walking distance of Kew Junction and close to established schools including Carey Grammar and Xavier College, the address benefits from existing infrastructure while maintaining a residential quietness that is increasingly difficult to find at this scale.&nbsp;

Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/sinjen">Sinjen</a>, with a 10-year structural guarantee, with completion targeted for mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

Inside Wimba Ave, Kew’s garden-scale residences designed for space and permanence

High-end Sydney developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen-group">Abadeen</a> has secured approval for one of its latest Mosman projects, one of the first developments approved by Mosman Council under the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy.

The approval represents an important step in delivering well-considered housing next to established village locations on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, in line with the intent of the Low and Mid-Rise zoning framework. 
&nbsp; 
There are currently 13 other sites lodged within Mosman Council under the policy, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-29-heydon-street-mosman-nsw-2088">Heydon Street</a> among the first to receive development consent. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Founder and Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the project reflects a considered and appropriate response to its planning context. 
&nbsp; 
“This approval demonstrates how carefully considered, design-led development can align with the objectives of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy," Brown said.

"The scheme has been designed to respond sensitively to its village setting, with a built form, scale and level of amenity appropriate to its local context. The determination reflects a balanced and considered planning outcome, with Council recognising the capacity for this site to accommodate additional housing within a well-located and established precinct.”

<img alt="Abadeen secures first approval under low and mid-rise housing policy for Heydon Street, Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="92811ce3-02e8-44fc-996e-c61ae039bd3e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Heydon%20Street%20Aerial.jpg?VersionId=ZHJVuWQT64QcdrFJx963pFWFzTX7lI2I" />

The Heydon Street approval followed extensive consultation with Mosman Council, with Abadeen working closely with Council throughout the assessment process.

The approved scheme comprises 27 residences, with only four per floor, creating a low-density living environment. The building will include four half-floor penthouses designed to capture views across Middle Harbour, Sydney Harbour and the surrounding district.&nbsp;

The project is expected to appeal to downsizers and owner-occupiers seeking house-like proportions, privacy and local convenience. There will be north-facing Middle Harbour views from the second level upward. It is also just a flat 100-metre walk to Bridgepoint Shopping Centre, which will appeal to owner-occupiers and in particular downsizers.

Two-bedroom residences are expected to be priced from $1.99 million when sales launch later this year. 
&nbsp; 
Joe Tack, CEO at Abadeen, said the outcome reflects both the quality of the site and the broader need for well-located housing. 
&nbsp; 
“This is a highly considered site within a highly established local setting, offering elevated views and strong connectivity. The project has been designed to respond to that context, delivering a scale and quality of housing aligned with both the planning framework and evolving market demand.” 
&nbsp; 
“This approval is particularly significant in the context of Mosman, where new housing supply has historically been limited. While it represents the first approval of this scale in Mosman to be achieved in over 50 years, it is importantly located within a well-established residential location, in close proximity to the established commercial amenity of Spit Road and Mosman Village. It reflects strong confidence in Abadeen’s approach to design, delivery and community integration, while contributing to the delivery of much-needed housing in a highly constrained market.”

Abadeen has an established track record across Sydney’s Lower North Shore, with recent completions including KOYO in Crows Nest and ENSO in Neutral Bay.

In Mosman, Abadeen recently completed The Hampden, with Mosman Residences on the corner of Spit Road and Clifford Street scheduled for completion later this year. Construction has also commenced at Burran Residences, comprising three full-floor ultra-premium homes positioned just 50 metres from Balmoral Beach, with residences expected to achieve prices in excess of $20 million. Two further projects are also progressing through planning within the local government area.

Abadeen secures first approval under low and mid-rise housing policy for Heydon Street, Mosman apartment development

Apartment developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a> is one of the latest entrants to the Gold Coast development market, with its debut project set to be one of the most boutique offerings on Chevron Island in recent years.

Martello has unveiled <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aere-chevron-island-18-20-mawarra-street-chevron-island-qld-4217">Aere Chevron Island</a>, a collection of 33 large-scale two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments across an 18-storey building on Mawarra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143932 project_image_fid=367517]

The developer has placed a strong emphasis on wellness, briefing architecture firm Raunik Design to embed this philosophy into the project. It is a direction <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a> plans to carry through its future developments along the coast.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a> has positioned Aere as a continuation of its human-centric development approach, with a focus extending beyond amenity to the fundamentals of layout, natural light, and spatial planning. Promax Construction has already been appointed to deliver the project, with construction expected to commence in the coming months as part of the group’s broader expansion into South East Queensland.

Rising above the low-rise fabric of Chevron Island, Aere’s design emphasises generous internal proportions and uninterrupted outlooks, with residences oriented to capture coastal, skyline, and waterway views. Interiors prioritise open-plan living, with large-format glazing and carefully considered transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143932 project_image_fid=367508]

The upper levels are dedicated to larger-format homes, including four-bedroom residences designed as half-floor offerings. These layouts prioritise separation between living and sleeping zones, along with increased privacy and storage, features more commonly associated with detached housing than traditional apartment product.

Aere’s private resident amenity spaces centre on wellness. A rooftop level will incorporate a heated swimming pool, sauna and spa, while the rest of the wellness spaces throughout the building include a&nbsp;residents’ lounge, dining areas and a gym.

The inclusion of both social and quieter retreat spaces reflects a broader shift in higher-end apartment design on the Gold Coast, where developers are increasingly responding to owner-occupier demand for buildings that support long-term living rather than short-stay use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143932 project_image_fid=367814]

Aere is positioned within walking distance of Chevron Island’s village centre along Thomas Drive, as well as the HOTA cultural precinct via the Green Bridge, connecting residents to parklands, galleries, and event spaces.

For <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a>, Aere represents the first in a series of planned Gold Coast developments, with the group also exploring opportunities in other coastal precincts, including Kirra and Palm Beach.

The move north comes as sustained population growth and infrastructure investment continue to reshape South East Queensland, with developers increasingly targeting boutique, design-led projects in established lifestyle pockets. Aera’s relatively small scale and emphasis on spatial quality position it within this emerging segment of the market.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143932]

Martello™ enters Gold Coast market with wellness-led Chevron Island development Aere

Plan Melbourne

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The notion of Melbourne becoming a 20-minute City has been explored heavily in recent times.

Seeking to provide Melburnians with the ability to 'live locally', the 20-minute City, in essence, strives to provide people with the ability to meet most of their everyday needs within a 20-minute walk, cycle or local public transport trip of their home.

Plan Melbourne's <a href="http://www.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/377117/Plan_Melbourne_2017_Outcome_5_PDF.pdf">push toward the 20-minute City</a> would also have immense repercussions for the environment, potentially reducing travel by nine million passenger kilometres and cutting Melbourne’s daily greenhouse gas emissions by more than 370,000 tonnes.

The Heart Foundation and the Victorian Government's <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/news/designing-an-active-healthier-victoria">Healthy and Active by Design Victoria</a> has the 20-minute City at its core. The push to heighten awareness around the issue of connecting people efficiently with daily necessities has not gone unlost on certain developers.

As awareness of the health issues increases, enterprising developers are beginning to talk up the health benefits of living close to places of employment; this is particularly pertinent in Melbourne's middle suburban apartment market as it begins to mature.

Developer Cedar Woods has of late been talking up the health and wellbeing benefits of living in close proximity to places of employment. Given their Jackson Green development is in close proximity to the Monash Employment Cluster, they are well placed to do so.

According to the <a href="https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/tag/better-health-index/">Medibank Better Health Index</a>, there are significant health benefits in living closer to places of work, thus reducing time spent commuting during the week. According to the Index, "those travelling one to five kilometres to work having a better overall health score versus those commuting more than 50 kilometres."

Furthermore, "Those with a journey of 30 kilometres or more suffered from various negative health outcomes such as increased stress and weight gain. By living close to work, time usually spent commuting can be put into other important lifestyle activities such as health and exercise, quality family time and personal relaxation."

Cedar Woods have been quick to point this out, using Jackson Green's latest release, Gardenia, as an example of buyers choosing to purchase based on proximity to their workplace.

In a recent media release, Cedar Woods state manager Patrick Archer extolled the virtues of living close to one's place of employment:

<blockquote>
People are aware of the negative effects long commute times add to their health and wellbeing, as well as the time they lose each day spent in the car or on public transport getting to work. To help combat this they are placing greater importance on where they live and ensuring it is close to their workplace. 

We have noticed a number of buyers at Jackson Green moving to the area because they want to be closer to work. They are being more strategic with their time to create more opportunities to relax, re-energise and reduce the amount of time spent commuting.
<cite>Patrick Archer, State Manager, Cedar Woods</cite>
</blockquote>

The Monash Employment Cluster is the prime example in that it maintains Melbourne’s largest concentration of jobs outside the CBD and includes employment hubs such as the Monash Medical Centre and Monash University.

The advent of further <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/urban-renewal/national-employment-clusters/">National Employment and Innovation Cluster</a>s such as Dandenong, La Trobe, Sunshine and the massive Werribee East project will also serve to draw in greater populations seeking to reside closer to major employment hubs. As Melbourne's population continues to balloon, it seems that so to will congestion across all modes of transport.

People will invariably be drawn to living closer to their places of employment; perhaps now developers spruiking their respective apartment projects in Melbourne's middle suburbs will include another inducement in their marketing campaigns - that of health and wellbeing, and proximity to all that matters.
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silvermb

The 20-minute city, associated health benefits and expanding middle Melbourne

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Since the introduction of the new residential zones in 2014, ratio: have been actively involved advocating about issues surrounding their implementation. Collaborating with other consultants, ratio: has been actively involved in the past 4 years seeking to influence the appropriate application of the zones.  Our view has always been that the Zones should allow for the increased density and diversity of housing consistent with the location of public transport and other infrastructure.  Instead the outcome was that for some municipalities, the over use of the Neighbourhood Residential Zone locked land away from reasonable development opportunities.

The State Government has completed its pre-election promises of a review of the Residential Zones and the way in which they were implemented.   The key changes are:

<ul>
<li>Removing the restriction on the number of dwellings that can be built on a property in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone (NRZ). The new version of the zone will not limit the number of dwellings on a lot, which for most municipalities, is currently two. </li>
	<li>Increasing the mandatory building height in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone from 8m to 9m, and including a two-storey maximum.</li>
	<li>Changing the discretionary 9m building height in the General Residential Zone (GRZ) to a mandatory height of 11m, and a three-storey maximum.</li>
	<li>Introducing a mandatory garden area requirement for lots over 400m2 in both the Neighbourhood Residential Zone and the General Residential Zone. This will require 25 – 35% of the land area be set aside as landscaping with driveways not included in this calculation.</li>
</ul>
Councils will have the ability to amend a schedule to the zone to include an alternative maximum height, however the height in the schedule cannot be less than the maximum height specified within the parent clause (i.e. 9m in the NRZ, 11m in the GRZ and 13.5m in the RGZ).   

The new garden area requirement applies to development in the NRZ and GRZ of lots over 400m2. The requirement is mandatory and requires a percentage of the land to be set aside for landscaping, in line with the following table.  Significantly, driveways will not be included in this area, which will have an impact on development yield for certain building typologies.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Lot size</th>
			<th scope="col">Minimum percentage</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>400-500 square metres</td>
			<td>25%</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>501-650 square metres</td>
			<td>30%</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>650 square metres and above</td>
			<td>35%</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Transitional Provisions</h2>

The General Residential Zone and Neighbourhood Residential Zone will include transitional provisions in relation to the mandatory building heights (including number of storeys) and garden area requirements. It is not clear at this stage how the changes will address situations where there are contradictions with existing schedules, for example where a schedule to the General Residential Zone specifies a mandatory height of less than 11m.  Stay tuned for more information on this.

We are still yet to understand when the provisions will take place, but we would expect this to be reasonably soon, given the State Government’s other suite of changes which focus on the implementation of the revised Plan Melbourne, also announced today.

<h2>What are our thoughts?</h2>

The changes to the Residential Zones, particularly the NRZ are definitely taking a step in the right direction with the removal of the maximum density of two dwellings per lot.  We have long held the view that an increased density doesn’t necessarily result in a negative impact on neighbourhood character.  For example, demolishing the existing house and building one large house (which may not require a planning permit) can be just as disruptive to a streetscape as building three smaller houses and doesn’t achieve an increase in density generally sought by planning policy throughout metropolitan Melbourne.

Whilst the objectives of the Residential Zones will be amended, it is our understanding that limiting opportunities for increased residential development will remain a key consideration for any decision maker, particularly in areas of identified sensitivity.  Realistically, opportunities for more than two dwellings on a lot will need to be carefully considered in the context of existing and preferred neighbourhood character and the prevalence of medium density housing in the area.  At the least it will allow a more performance based approached to dwelling density that the current zone provision.

The increased building heights are also an improvement which will allow a more considered architectural response and increased floor to ceiling heights where appropriate.

We do have concerns regarding the mandatory garden area requirement, especially with its application with the NRZ and the GRZ.  Our preference will always be for a performance-based approach to such a requirement.  There will no doubt be circumstances where neighbourhood character will allow for a more urban response, or alternatively, a larger lot can provide for a more dense design solution. We would reasonably expect to see less reverse living or lower maintenance housing options.

This article was originally posted on <a href="http://www.ratio.com.au/residential-zone-reforms-announced-by-state-government">Ratio Consultants website</a>.
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colleenp

Residential zone reforms announced by Spring Street

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We are nearing the first anniversary of the Andrews Government, they certainly have hit the ground running and set a lot of inter-related policy areas in a different direction. It is just a pity that the public debate around planning has boiled down to high-rise or skyscraper canyons versus monotonous "European" style development sham.

The two sides of that debate are analogous to the typical trench warfare of "left" versus "right" politics. It does not matter how loony or tory the left or right are, whoever gains the middle ground will win at the end of the day.

It is all a bit quaint and passé, really. And glosses over our real problem: our insidious car culture.

The first two explanations for insidious on <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insidious?s=t">dictionary.com</a> state it is "intended to entrap or beguile; [to be] stealthily treacherous or deceitful". However it is the third meaning "operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect" which describes our car society ever so succinctly.

<h2>Nightingale: when car culture stifles innovation</h2>

On October 14, <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/green-building-with-no-car-parking-thrown-out-by-vcat-for-having-no-car-parking-20151022-gkfia5">an order at VCAT</a> was made to set aside the City of Moreland's granting of a permit for the <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">Nightingale</a> development (6 Florence Street, Brunswick). Among the many paragraphs in the senior member's explanation of the order (and I encourage everyone to read them), the section which stuck out the most came under the heading "The convenience of private car ownership".

Paragraphs 112 through 118 make for particularly sobering reading, as the senior VCAT member used private car ownership as a convenience as part of his justification.

The private car is a very convenient transport mode in certain circumstances, but it is highly specific to where you live and where you need to travel. Brunswick is a vastly different beast to a middle-ring suburb like Glen Waverley or outer growth suburb like Tarneit.

Some suburbs are highly dependent on provisions for car parking as other transport and societal infrastructure is slow to catch up to the pace of development on the fringes (or simply non-existent). However, this should not be used as a justification for curtailing development innovation and entrepreneurialism in the way that it has impacted in Nightingale's case.

Buyers in the 20 unit Nightingale development will have signed on the dotted line knowing full well their purchase is not going to include a car park, and the location of the development in the Anstey precinct with all the services and public transport services at its doorstep would have also been monumental in attracting them.

The group of architects who are the proponents of this planning application are turning the early stages of the standard development model on its head: a waiting list is devised and then each is surveyed through one-on-one meetings and online questionnaires. This is not marketing trickery, it is a different way of doing business.

After one-on-one meetings with the design architects where potential buyers are taken through the architectural drawings, the potential buyer elects to be added to a ballot. The ballot is drawn and only then are buyers invited to sign up for an apartment.

This is what development innovation is: buyers are taken through a process so they are fully aware of what they are signing on for, effectively vetted to see if their values fit the development's goals. Sources have told Apartments.com.au that the 20 buyers who did sign up are a diverse bunch: singles, couples, downsizing retirees, young families with pets, generation Y, generation X; most of whom work in socially and environmentally enlightened professions.

They are classic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_innovations#Adopter_categories">early adopters</a> and by looking at Apartments.com.au's analytics numbers, there are many more out there.

Consider this: since we published the <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">Nightingale listing</a> in our project database in October 2014 (through standard editorial process), this page has become the 30th most viewed on the site, with 3,934 unique views.

When filtering out non-project pages: only the super-tall Australia 108 (4,097), the skyscrapers Empire Melbourne (4,619) and EQ Tower (4,311), Whitehorse Towers in Box Hill (4,552), Capitol Grand in South Yarra (5,682) and the lower/mid-rise projects of Smith &amp; Co in Collingwood (4,674) and Ikebana in West Melbourne (4,040) have had more views in the same timeframe.

<h2>Plan Melbourne should encourage development innovation, not hinder it</h2>

To quote <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.planetizen.com/node/58942">Brent Toderian</a>, former chief planner of Vancouver (bold, my emphasis), "We've understood in Vancouver for years that mobility flows from smart land use choices. The best transportation plan is a great land-use plan. That means mixing uses, in compact and complete communities, with strong, consistent urban design."

The recently <a href="/news/spring-street-launches-plan-melbourne-reboot-discussion-paper">re-booted Plan Melbourne</a> under the "A more connected Melbourne" section has seen an update of the major transport projects the current Government is pursuing. Likewise it has two options for discussion relating to involvement with Infrastructure Victoria and including the principal public transport network in the entire Plan Melbourne 2016 document.

If Plan Melbourne is to focus Melbourne's future development in a more node-like fashion spread throughout the entire metropolitan area then we need - scratch that, require - Infrastructure Victoria to advise Government on how to reduce car dependency and increase all other sustainable and public forms of transport in these areas.

Pardon a pun however if our insidious car culture can be so brutally used as a road block for new development in inner-urban areas, where buyers are more than willing to join a new community of car-free dwellings, then what hope is there in areas where car dependency is greater? "Balanced" transport investment will do nothing but maintain the status quo, it is time to enact slow progressive change right throughout the metropolitan area.

Transport should not be another bolt-on chapter in a document. It should be present throughout and Plan Melbourne must focus on reducing car dependency and creating a new transport culture throughout Melbourne, so we never again find ourselves in the situation where car culture is a significant barrier to development innovation.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OIC_brunswick_sydney_road_with_traffic.jpg">Wikipedia</a>
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Alastair Taylor

Comment: Plan Melbourne must enshrine steps to purge our insidious car culture

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The Planning Minister Richard Wynne has launched the rebooted Plan Melbourne as well as a discussion paper for consultation.

A media release distributed on Thursday morning states "The Andrews Labor Government has revised Plan Melbourne to address issues that affect the community, such as housing affordability and climate change - which were both left out by the previous Liberal Government.

"The Liberal's draft plan attracted 450 submissions and input from more than 10,000 Victorians during consultation, but the final radically departed from the draft and failed to provide long-term vision."

The following is the Minister's foreword from the Plan Melbourne Refresh <a href="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-australia/ac5567735c214dd99e2858ad2e637581fc8e3a4d/documents/attachments/000/028/229/original/Plan_Melbourne_refresh_at_a_glance_WEB_FA_R2.pdf">at a glance document</a>.

<blockquote>
Melbourne is at an exciting time in its history with unparalleled opportunity for growth, development and prosperity.

We need to prepare for that growth now, and with sensible and sustainable planning we can provide the foundation for Victoria’s economic vitality and liveability throughout the 21st century.

The Plan Melbourne refresh is about making sure our strategy for the city’s growth and development gives our present and future citizens an even better quality of life, a higher standard of living and access to greater opportunities.

I want to see us build a city that sets an example to the world for environmental sustainability, social equity, enhanced liveability and economic strength.

Melbourne is facing some big challenges. Our projected population growth, changing economic conditions and the pressures of climate change mean we need to think and act thoughtfully about how to grow and develop our city.

Much of Plan Melbourne 2014 has bipartisan support and this refresh does not propose a comprehensive revision. Rather, it allows us to revisit the plan in light of new information and incorporate some ideas that planning experts and ordinary citizens alike have raised during the consultations and lively public debates over the last few years that had been omitted.

And having refreshed Plan Melbourne, we will be in a better position to answer the big questions that can no longer be ignored: How do we make sure there is a steady supply of housing that is affordable for the next generation of Victorians? How do we manage investment in transport infrastructure to keep this city moving? How do we avoid the sorts of geographical inequalities that plague many of the world’s fastest growing cities? How do we prepare for climate change?

The discussion paper presents options for consideration during the public consultation process. These options have been informed by  the work of the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) which I re-formed in 2015 to provide me with independent expert advice on how to refresh Plan Melbourne. It has also benefited enormously from submissions and information collected during an earlier extensive community and stakeholder engagement program.

I encourage you to read it, discuss it, circulate it via social media, and be part of a lively public debate. Melbourne is our city, so together let’s set its course for a positive future.
<cite>Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne</cite>
</blockquote>

To view the full suite of documents published by the State Government today, see the new <a href="http://refresh.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/plan-melbourne-refresh-discussion-paper">Refresh Plan Melbourne website</a>.

Happy reading.
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Spring Street launches Plan Melbourne reboot, discussion paper

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Walking around some of Melbourne’s best-designed apartments recently, I was struck by how much design could make a small space feel like a home.

I was on the Robin Boyd Foundation’s exemplary apartment tour, showing off the best in Melbourne apartments.

In Victoria, there are some exceptional examples of how clever spaces, light and ventilation can add to liveability, and how apartments built some decades ago still hold their own today.

Victoria’s property industry is brimming with experts in clever design, the very people I’m appealing to contribute to the draft apartment guidelines our government is working on.

In May, I launched a discussion paper, <a href="http://delwp.vic.gov.au/planning/policy-and-strategy/better-apartments">Better Apartments</a>, at the Planning Institute of Australia’s national conference.

The discussion paper was chosen as the best way to kick-start consultation. Rather than beginning with draft guidelines, I want the people who deliver apartments and the people who live in them to have their say from the start.

Developers are lured to Melbourne for its liveability and investment potential.

Record-low interest rates and a thriving property market have encouraged property investors and owner-occupiers to buy. These are some of the factors pushing up apartment approvals in the past few years.

While that is great news for the state’s economy and for our property industry, we need to make sure planning policy keeps pace with the surge in apartment living.

The rise in apartments has thrown up a red flag from local government, architectural and industry bodies around the standards of some apartments in Victoria.

While I’ve seen some great apartments, I have also seen some dogboxes - poorly designed with little access to natural light, airflow and storage.

The Better Apartments discussion paper raises those concerns and weighs up housing needs, market demands and building standards with the aim of improving liveability and affordability.

The government’s goal is to deliver sustainable housing outcomes, deliver on affordability, respond to the desire to live near jobs and services while also supporting investment.

The discussion paper’s focus is on internal amenity, as well as outlook and privacy.

While apartment sizes are a hot talking point, we must keep in mind that good design is the key. There are some fantastic small apartments offering good amenity, natural light and are affordable, just as there are plenty of poorly-designed large apartments.

We are working towards guidelines that give certainty but still allow for innovation and new ideas.

As well as Better Apartments, work has begun on a refreshed Plan Melbourne strategy and we have begun detailed work to plan the country’s biggest infill opportunity, <a href="/news/fishermans-bend-proposals-an-overview">Fishermans Bend</a>.

We aren’t starting from scratch. Rather, major issues left out of Plan Melbourne and Fishermans Bend plans to date, such as energy efficiency, housing affordability and climate change, will be included.

Future planning work will also factor in the major infrastrcuture projects the Andrews Labor Government has committed to, such as the Melbourne Metro Rail project.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can deliver innovative, robust, world leading policy in apartment design. We will be holding stakeholder forums and already, online submissons and survey responses are rolling in.

We will strive to deliver apartments to balance affordability and liveability, in buildings which enhance the city skyline and the streetscape.

Melbourne leads the world in liveability, let’s see that reflected in our aspirations for apartment living.

http://delwp.vic.gov.au/better-apartments

The Hon Richard Wynne is the member for Richmond and the Minister for Planning. <a href="https://twitter.com/rwynnemp">Follow the Planning Minister on Twitter</a>.
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